The Indian government has launched “Operation Ajay” to bring back Indian citizens who are stranded in different cities of war-torn Israel. Union Foreign Affairs Minister S Jaishankar has said that the government of India is fully committed to safety of Indian nationals in Israel. The first batch of Indians stranded in Israel will be brought back home today in a special charter flight and the government has already made the required arrangements.
“Launching OperationAjay to facilitate the return from Israel of our citizens who wish to return. Special charter flights and other arrangements being put in place. Fully committed to the safety and well-being of our nationals abroad,” Jaishankar said.
Operation Ajay explained in 10 points:
- The Indian government has launched the ‘operation Ajay’ in view of security threat to Indian students and others living in Israel where a war has broke out between Israeli Defence Forces and Palestinian militant group Hamas.
- Around 18,000 Indians, many of them young students, stranded in Israel when the war broke last week after Hamas militants carried out brutal assault. The students and their families had requested the Indian government to extract them from the war-torn country.
- Jaishankar has said that the government has arranged special charter flights to bring back Indian citizens from Israel. “Other arrangements have also been made,” he added.
- The Indian embassy in Israel said that it has already emailed the first lot of registered Indian citizens for the special flight today.
- The remaining Indian nationals will also be brought back in the next batches and messages will be sent to them soon.
- “The Embassy has emailed the first lot of registered Indian citizens for the special flight tomorrow. Messages to other registered people will follow for subsequent flights,” India in Israel wrote on X, formerly known as Twitter.
- The Indian embassy in Tel Aviv has also set up a 24/7 helpline to assist Indian nationals. Indian nationals who are stranded in Israel and want to return to India can contact the embassy through its 24/7 helpline. 24*7 Emergency Helpline/Contact: Tel +972-35226748, +972-543278392, Email: cons1.telaviv@mea.gov.in.
- A 24/7 control room has also been set up in Delhi to monitor the situation and assist people.
- The Delhi control room can be accessed through -1800118797 (toll-free), 91-11 23012113, 91-11-23014104, 91-11-23017905 and 919968291988, and the e-mail ID is situationroom@mea.gov.in.
- Israel declared war against Hamas after the brutal October 7 attack, in which more than 1200 Israelis were killed and thousands wounded.